Turn your tomato skins into tomato powder by baking them in the oven or food dehydrator and then grinding into a powder. This is great no waste recipe that every gardener needs to make!
Homemade Tomato Powder
It’s raining tomatoes! Don’t I always say that during July and August? Well it’s true – we have so many tomatoes right now! You guys know I love my Stewed Tomatoes recipe, Roma Tomato Soup, Heirloom Tomato Pasta and homemade tomato paste to freeze, but with that comes a lot of extra tomato skins.
Being one that loves to use up the whole fruit or vegetable, I wanted to come up with a way to use use the tomato skins in a way that can be enjoyed in different recipes throughout the seasons. By making tomato powder we can enjoy our Summer tomato harvest, even during Winter!
Since I know not everyone has a food dehydrator I will supply both methods below – for making it in a food dehydrator and in the oven! Whatever way you choose, I hope you like it!
Love making homemade spices? Check out my homemade onion powder, garlic powder, adobo seasoning, dried basil, dried parsley, and dried oregano too!
How to Use Tomato Powder
Here are some great ways to use tomato powder in everyday recipes:
- Sprinkle on slices of pizza. (try this pizza dough!)
- Use as a meat seasoning. (great for oven baked burgers!)
- Use on sandwiches or subs.
- Throw in soups (like slow cooker barley sausage soup – pictured below!), stews and chili.
- Throw in pasta dishes.
- Use in fritters batter, like these zucchini corn fritters or mashed potato patties.
- Throw in tomato sauces for more tomato flavor!
- Popcorn!
How to Make Tomato Powder in the Oven
Preheat your oven to a low temperature, around 150-170 degrees F. (Up to 190 degrees F is ok if that’s as low as your oven goes).
Gather your tomato skins. These can be leftover from canning, making tomato sauce, or peeling fresh tomatoes. Make sure they are clean and free from any debris.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the tomato skins evenly on the baking sheet, ensuring they are not overlapping. This helps with even drying.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. The drying time can vary but generally takes around 4-8 hours, depending on oven temperature and how wet the tomato skins are.
After a few hours, check the tomato skins for dryness. They should be brittle and easily snap. If they are not completely dry, continue to bake and check at 30 minute intervals until they are ready.
Once the tomato skins are fully dried, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. This prevents condensation from forming when you store them.
Transfer the cooled, dried tomato skins to a coffee/spice grinder or food processor. Pulse until you achieve a fine powder consistency.
How to Make Tomato Powder with Food Dehydrator
- Collect your tomato skins, ensuring they are clean and free from debris.
- Lay the tomato skins on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate them at 135 degrees F for 8-12 hours until they become brittle and lose all moisture.
- Transfer the dried skins to a coffee grinder and process them until you have a fine powder. Store the powder in an airtight jar.
Want to make tomato flakes instead?
If you prefer flakes, place the dried skins in a food processor and pulse a few times until you achieve the desired flake consistency. Store the flakes in an airtight jar.
How to Store Tomato Powder
Transfer the tomato powder to an airtight container. Store it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. Using a vacuum-sealed container can also help extend its shelf life.
Homemade tomato powder should last up to a year (or longer) when stored properly.
Pin for later:
How to Make Tomato Powder From Tomato Skins
PrintIngredients
- Tomato skins (as many as you have)
Instructions
To Make Tomato Powder in the Oven
- Preheat your oven to a low temperature, around 150-170 degrees F. (Up to 190 degrees F is ok if that's as low as your oven goes).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the tomato skins evenly on the baking sheet, ensuring they are not overlapping.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. The drying time can vary but generally takes around 4-8 hours, depending on oven temperature and how wet the tomato skins are. After a few hours, check the tomato skins for dryness. They should be brittle and easily snap in half. If they are not completely dry, continue to bake and check at 30 minute intervals until they are ready.
- Once the tomato skins are fully dried, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. This prevents condensation from forming when you store them.
- Transfer the cooled, dried tomato skins to a spice or coffee grinder. Pulse until you achieve a fine powder consistency.
- Transfer the tomato powder to an airtight container or spice jar. Store it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. Tomato powder should last up to a year (or longer) when stored properly.
To Make Tomato Powder in Food Dehydrator
- Gather your tomato skins. Place on dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate at 135 degrees for 8-12 hours until brittle and no longer wet. For powder: Put dried tomato skins in coffee grinder and grind until powder. For flakes: Put dried tomato skins in food processor and pulse a few times until flakes. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. Tomato powder should last up to a year (or longer) when stored properly.
Linda Bridges says
I have a question. I dried my tomato skins 2 days. They wouldn’t dry and now they’re leathery. Do you have any suggestions?
Pamela Reed says
If they weren’t brittle when they came out of the oven they needed more time to cook! Depending on tomato variety and water content, sometimes they take longer! In the future, continue to bake and check at 30 minute intervals until they are brittle and an easily snap.
Jodi Comer says
I’ve tried this with the first batch of our tomato harvest. However, should the powder (with just water to make a paste) have a bitter taste to it? Still experimenting with this, but didn’t want to add it to a pot of stew until I could find some feedback. Thank you!
Pamela Reed says
Hey Jodi, when I add to soups and stews, I don’t turn it into a paste, instead I just sprinkle the powder directly into the pot. If you’re making tomato paste from tomato powder, it’s going to be highly concentrated flavor hence the taste. Once you add tomato paste to a stew or soup though, it blends nicely with the other flavors and should not taste bitter at all. Hope this helps.
Angel says
I’m not sure if this is mentioned Anywhere or not as I did not see it. I find the easiest way to peel your tomatoes is to put them in the freezer. I found this out completely by accident at the end of the season when I had all of those small batches of tomatoes that I didn’t have enough to can all at once or the time. Upon pulling them out on Canning day I noticed that the skins just slid right off! No more dipping in hot water and peeling by knife or fingers and having meat left on the skins. I haven’t done it any other way since and I’ve been doing this for years now. I have also been making tomato powder for that same amount of years and Other powders as well so as not to waste the harvest. Just as an example: eggplant skin dehydrated and powdered makes a nice thickener In soups very much like a thin cornstarch slurry And does not change the taste of your food.
Dianna says
Great feedback!! I would prefer to freeze the tomatoes whole to get the skin off of them rather than the boiling water/ice water method. Also, interesting info regarding eggplant skin powder! Had no idea people would use eggplant skin.
Stefanie says
I’m gonna give this a try- how long does it keep?
Pamela Reed says
If stored properly it can last a year. Enjoy! 🙂
Bonny Rambarran says
WOW – WHAT A GREAT IDEA!! I dry tomatoes and make powder — But never thought about doing it with the sjin!!
Maria Bougher says
Its in the dehydrator at this very moment!! Can’t wait to see the results!
Tracie says
Loved the post! Yep, I’m going to try this! Have you tried making any fruit powders? If so how do you use them?
Charlotte says
Yes I made this. Was so happy with results
Dianne says
I was reading about your tomato powder and I would love to try it out. Now my problem is I don’t have a dehydrator, could I use the oven to dry the skins out and get the same outcome.
Rose says
Great recipes. Looking forward to more interesting ones like this one.
Terry says
Tried this and I could not ever get skins brittle . Dried for 6 days still not brittle enough to chop up. Does it matter on type of tomato used?
Pamela says
Hi Terry, how are you drying your tomato skins (for 6 days?!)? I would suggest using an oven to dry them or food dehydrator if you have one.
Carol says
I use the whole tomato for my tomato powder. I live in a small cabin, not much storage. Powdering saves a lot of space. I prefer cherry tomatos. I just half them place them skin side on trays and dry. Process them in a coffee grinder, wala powder. I use for sauces, chili, etc.
Ugo chidinma says
Can I use an oven for drying the tomato skin and still get the same results?
Pamela says
Yes you can. Please read up in the comments, Jen give perfect instructions there. Hope this helps!
Ugo chidinma says
Can your tomato powder be used to make stew or jollof rice?
Pamela says
Hey Ugo, you can absolutely use tomato powder in stew and rice! I do it often. Enjoy!